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Karni Mata Temple located in Deshnok, Rajasthan. It is an ancient temple, dedicated to Karni Mata. Here more than 25000 rats reside here. These mice are considered sacred and their false offering are distributed among devotees. Devotees from far come to this temple to fulfill their wishes with the blessings of Karni Mata. This temple has always been a subject of interest for tourists.
Karni Mata Temple is located at a place called Deshnok, 30 km from Bikaner district in Rajasthan. This temple was built in the early 20th century by Maharaja Ganga Singh of the princely state of Bikaner. Karni Mata is considered the Kuldevi of the Bikaner royal family. According to the locals, the princely state of Bikaner and Jodhpur was established with the blessings of Karni Mata.
Karni Mata entire story :-
Karni Mata is considered to be the avatar of Jagadamba, the real mother. It is believed that she was born in a Baran family as a normal rural girl. After birth, he was named 'Ridhubai'. On marriage, she was married to Kipoji Charan of Sathia village. But only after a few years of marriage, her mind got freed from worldly life. After getting her younger sister Gulab married to her husband, she devoted her entire life to the devotion of mother and public welfare works. She also performed many miracles for her public welfare, due to which people started calling her 'Karni Mata'. She lived in a cave six and a half hundred years ago and worshiped Goddess jagdamba. That cave is still in temple complex. She lived for 151 years and then became Jyotirling on 23 March 1537. After her Jyotirling, people established her idol in this cave by following her last
wish. Since then, people have been continuously worshiping her here.
The Story Behind Rats
The mice found in the temple are called 'Kaaba'. People say that Karani Mata's step-son Lakshman was once drinking water in Kapil Sarovar, located in Kolayat tehsil. During that time his leg slipped and he died by drowning in the same lake. Karni reached to Yamraj after pleading for the son to be alive. Yamraj revived her son, but as a mouse. It is believed that Karni Mata's heirs revive here as rats after death.
The special thing about these mice is that they come out of their bills at the time of Mangal Aarti to be held at 5 o'clock in the morning and at 4 o'clock in the evening. After offering them, the same prasad is distributed among the devotees. This pairing of mice is considered sacred. No devotee has been ill after eating it. Even when there was a plague-like epidemic in India. Even then the devotees used to eat these offerings. While entering the temple, special care is taken that the mice are not harmed. Therefore, while walking up to the main statue in the temple premises, people walk with their legs slipped, so that no mouse dies under their feet. If a rat dies while moving, then its silver idol has to be offered in the temple. The temple has been forged to protect mice from eagles, vultures and other animals.
